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Best 4K Monitors For MacBook Pro (Review) in 2022

Last updated at November 13th, 2020

If you are looking to get an external computer monitor for a MacBook laptop, there are two new paths you should explore. High resolution 4K monitors or Ultrawide monitors.

In this article we will go over the different features for 4K monitors and we will review the best 4K monitors for Macbooks that are on the market.

Dell 27-Inch 4K with USB-C

Is 4K Monitor Worth For MacBook laptop?

4K monitors have 3840 by 2160 pixel resolution. Higher resolution results in two different things getting improved.

The more pixels there are in a smaller are, pixel density of the monitor increases which makes a big difference when It comes to text and characters.

With higher resolution, the text will be more clear and fonts will look a lot better compared to a lower resolution alternative.

Additionally, higher resolution is big factor when It comes to consuming video content. More details will be visible and the visuals will be a lot more crisp.

Does MacBook Pro & Air Support 4K Resolution?

Before we get into the details of 4K monitors, It is important to figure out if your MacBook is capable of handling 4K resolution and monitors.

Dell 27-Inch 4K with USB-C

First of all, most 4K monitors are capable of handling lower resolutions, meaning that If you connect a device that doesn't have native 4K support the monitor should still work.

It is important to mention to fact above, in case your MacBook doesn't support 4K resolution natively, but If you still want to get a 4K monitor to make your setup future proof, you can still go with a 4K monitor.

If both the laptop and the monitor is capable of handling 4K resolution, then all the benefits of this high resolution will be available.

We have listed all the major MacBook versions, that should support the 4K resolution with no problem. Additionally, click on the links to see more information about the specific device.

MacBook Air (2018 or later)
MacBook Pro 13-Inch (2016 or later)
MacBook Pro 15-Inch (2016 or later)
MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2019 or later)

Is USB-C Worth for 4K Monitors for MacBook?

First, let's go over the new USB-C port. It's a newer version of the classic USB port, and in most modern computers It is replacing the classic USB port.

The benefit of the new USB-C port is that, It is capable of both data and power transfer, that is why It is replacing not only the classic USB ports, but also the HDMI and power ports on the devices.

In case of a monitor setup, the new USB-C connectivity brings two essentials improvements. With a single USB-C cable MacBook can be charged and connected to an external display.

LG 27-Inch 4K with USB-C connectivity

This technology eliminates the necessity of connecting multiple cables to laptop to charge and to connect the external monitor, making the setup a lot more convenient.

Secondly, USB-C port can also act as a regular USB port. Some of the new monitors have built-in USB hubs inside.

So additional USB devices, such as speakers, webcams, hard drives etc, can be directly connected to the USB ports on the monitors, while still using a single cable between the monitor and the laptop.

Does 4K Work With The New MacBook Apple M1 Processor Chip?

On November 10th, Apple announced their new Apple M1 chip which will replace their Intel processors moving forward.

With this new chip, they have updated their MacBook Air and MacBook 13-Inch Pro models, and they will start shipping this model on November 17th.

We don't have these MacBook versions to test yet, however based on the information Apple announced on their event, new MacBooks are able to support additional 4K monitors.